I still remember the moment like it was yesterday, sitting in the doctor’s office and being told my dad had cancer. In an instance my life was completely turned upside down. What followed were months of torment, leading to him eventually having most of his bowel surgically removed. The issues didn’t stop there, as after several complications what was meant to three days in the ICU turned in 25. He spent most of that time on life support, breathing through a hole in his throat due to a tracheostomy and with doctors saying they didn’t know if he would pull through.

It was after that experience that it dawned on me how much of an influence his lifestyle choices had on causing the disease. With everything from a diet high in sugar, to being a pack a day smoker who did no physical activity and an overwhelmingly stressful career, all unsurprisingly taking a toll on his health.

At the time I lived a largely sedentary life, paying no attention to what I did or ate, and it showed, on a mental, physical and emotional level. I was close to 50 pounds heavier and had huge problems with everything from self-confidence to my relationships with food, managing stress and dealing with the ups and downs of everyday life.

Flash forward a few years and I’ve not only lost the weight, but I’ve also kept it off, all while changing the way I think, feel and view life. I’m no longer always tired, lacking energy, moody, stressed or always on edge. The truth is I never even realised how bad I felt until I finally started to feel better, which is the unfortunate reality so many people are living in every day.

Since then I’ve made it my mission to help as many people as possible live healthier happier lives, with the goal of helping them avoid going through what happened to my dad.

That was my inspiration behind my book ‘Become a Better You’ and why I started my Tailored Lifestyles.